Conveyer-conduit



J. B. BROWN.

CONVEYER CONDUIT. APPLICATION Iman JUNE 12, 1920.

1,400,658'. Patented' nee. 2o, 1921. y

Y sa@ g5. llus' 19 Arm/MHS arr JOHN BRO'UGHTON BROWN, 0F WYNNE, ARKANSAS.

oonvnYnn-connurr.

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Application filed .Tune 12, 1920.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it lrnown that l, JOHN BRoUGH'roN Bnown, acitizen of the United States. and resident of Wynne, in the county of Cross and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyer-Conduits, of which the following is a specication.

The present invention relates to a conveyer conduit, and more particularly to a pneumatic conveyer conduit embodying telescoping sections adapted to be adjusted to vary the length of the conduit.

Heretofore, in the various arts in which conveyer conduits of this characterfind a high degree of usefulness, considerable dif culty has been experienced and considerable expense has been incurred bv reason of the delay in repairs that have been made necessary by the telescopic sections comprising the conduit becoming jammed as a result either of the material being handled becoming wedged between the sections or of the dents which are from time to time accidentally formed in the sections fouling.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a conduit of this character in which the telescopic sections are so constructed, arranged and related that any possibility of the sections becoming jammed for any reason whatsoever is effectively precluded, the sections being at all times easily and readily adjusted t-o vary the length of the conduit.

Another object is to provide a conduit of this character of simple and durable construction, reliable in operation, and easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and 'particularly pointed'out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of my invention in operation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, the inner section being shown partly in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on lille iff-4 of Fig. 2;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. Z, 1221.

serial no. 388,560.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the packing.

ring.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the invention is shown embodied in a pneumatic conveyer for handling seed cotton from wagons and other ways to the gin, a support 1() which may be the ceiling of the gin shed is provided. A coupling 11 connects the conduit to the-support and includes an annular flange 12, preferably integrally formed on the inner end of the coupling and extending over and resting against the adjacent portion of the support 10. An annular collar 13 coperates with the under side of the support 10 to secure the coupling. The telescopic conduit, indicated generally at 1A, is given a wide range of adjustment through the action of the flexible pipes 15, which is preferably constructed of canvas, and is interposed between the coupling 11 and the telescopic conduit 14.

The telescopic conduit comprises an outer section 16 and an inner section 17. The inner section 17 slides or telescopes within the outer section to vary the length of the conduit and the diameter of the inner section is so much less than the diameter of the outer section that there is a substantial space be tween the outer surface of the inner section and the inner surface of the outer section. Both the inner section and the outer section consist of cylindrical pipes of sheet metal, the upper end of the outer section 16 being, however, reduced, as at 18, for connection with the flexible pipe 15. A reinforcing band 19 encircles and is secured to the outer end of the outer section. Similar reinforcing bands 20 encircle and are secured to each of the ends of the inner section 17. rlhe outer end of the inner section is also provided with a plurality of handles or grips 21, which are preferably formed integral with the reinforcing bands of this end of the section and which facilitate the adjustment of the sections. `As shown in the drawings. the reinforcing band 2O on the inner end of the inner section occupies only a relatively small area of the space between the sections.

Means are provided for properly spacing the inner section from the outer section and for permitting ready and easy relative movement of the sections. This means consists of a circular series 22 of anti-friction elej ments which are carried by theouter Wall of the inner section adjacent its inner end and Which operatively engage the inner wall or surface of the outer section, and a circular series 21 of antifriction elements carried by the inner Wall of the outer sectionV adjacent its outer end and operatively engaging against the outer Wall of the inner section. As shown in detail in Fig. 6, the anti-friction elements Which comprise each series, each include a cage 24C which is formed from a single piece of sheet metal to provide the retaining Walls 25 of the cage and ears 26 integral with these Walls. The ears 26 are shaped to conform to the contour of the sections 16 or 17, as the case may be, and are adapted to cooperate with fastening means 27 by which thecage is secured to the respective sections.V The cages operatively retain aball bearing 28 or similar anti-friction element. Y Y l Packing means are provided for preventing the materialbeing handled from finding its Way between the outer Wall'of the inner section vand the inner Wall of the outer' section, and this packing means consists of an the upper end of the inner section. Thering is loosely fitted' in this position,.and rests upon the cages. 24fof the circular series of anti-frictionV elements 22.-

Packing means are also provided for preventing material ingress of airV through the sections. -This means includes a divided substantially frusto-conical flange 30 which is formed of a single piece of sheet metal, and is inverted. The upper portion of the flange 30 is vbentinvvardly, as shown at 31, and eX- tends over the reinforcing band 19 of the outer section 16 and in Vthis manner the flange is secured to the outer section. The lower'portion of the flange bears against the outer Wall of the inner section, as shown at 32. The ends of the divided flange overlap, as indicated at 33, in Fig. 4:.' Means are provided for regulatingV the degree of engagement of the portion 32 of the flange With the inner section, which means includes a pair of brackets 34 arranged on flange adjacent one of the overlapping` ends Vand a second pair of brackets 35 arranged on the opposite overlapping ange in alinement vwith the first pair of brackets. Y Each Vof these brackets is secured to the flange by suitable fastening means 36 which extend through the base of the bracket and theflange. Each of the brackets .includes an upstanding arm 37. A nut and bolt 3S cooperate lbetween the alined members of each pair of brackets as illustrated in Fig. 3. By adjusting the nut on the bolt the overlap on the end portions of the flange is varied and consequently the engagement of the portion 32 of Vthe flange With the outer section Will vary. Y

A counterpoise is provided for the inner section and includes a Weight 39, a connect` ing element, such as a cable, rope or the like 4:4, a pulley 41 suspended from the support 10 and an eye l2 referably secured to the inner reinforcing and 2O at theouter end of the inner Section to which the connecting element 40 is secured.

In operation the inner section is freely adjustable with respect to the outer section to vary the length of the conduit as the inner ingress of the air between the sections and renders the conduit efficient. The vdents that may be formed in the conduits vthat would interfere With the adjustment of the sections `thereof are to a'great degree eliminated by the anti-friction elements which exert a swaging action on these dents to press them back and restore the dented portion of the section to its proper contour.

The conduit is shown in connection with a conveyer system of cotton machinery but it is to be understood that the invention is not at all Vlimited to this use 'but finds a high degree of usefulness in anyart Where it is found desirable to make use of an adjustable conduit and it is to be further understood that While the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts thereof may be made as do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. I claim Y l. In a conveyer conduit of the character described,` an outer section, an inner section telescopically arranged Within the outer section and having its outer Wall spaced from the inner Wall of the outer section, a circular series of anti-friction elements carried by the inner section adjacent its inner end, each of said anti-friction Velements including a cage secured to the outer Wall of the inner section and a ball bearing retained in the cage and operatively engaging the inner surface of the outer section, a circular series ofV anti-friction elements carried by the outer Ysection adjacent its outer end, each of said anti-friction elements including a cage secured to the inner Wall of the outer section and a ball bearingretained in said cage and operatively engaging the outer wall o the inner section, a loose ring arranged between the inner section and the outer section adjacent the inner end of the inner section and supported upon the cages of the first-named series of anti-friction elements, and means for preventing egress of air between the sections consisting of a divided and inverted frusto-conical ange secured to the outer end of the outer section and having a portion bearing against the outer wall of the inner section, and means for regulating the engagement of the flange with the outer wall of the inner section.

2. In a conveyer conduit of the character described, an outer pipe section, a reinforcing band for the outer end of the outer section, an inner pipe section telescopically arranged within the outer section and having its outer wall spaced from the inner wall of the outer section, a reinforcing band for each end of the inner section, a circular series of anti-friction elements carried by the inner section adjacent its inner end, each of said anti-friction elements consisting of a cage secured to the outer wall of the inner section and a bail bearing retained in said cage and operatively engaging the inner wall of the outer section, a circular series of anti-friction elements carried by the outer section adjacent its outer end, each of said anti-friction elements consisting of a cage secured to the inner wall of the outer section and a ball bearing retained in the cage and operatively bearing against the outer wall or' the inner section.

3. In a conveyer conduit of the character described, an outer section, an inner section telescopically arranged within the outer section, an anti-friction element operative between the sections, Ya loose ring for preventing the material being handled from finding its way between the sections, and means for preventing ingress of air between the sections consisting of a divided and inverted truste-conical flange secured to the outer section and having a portion bearing against the inner section, the ends 01"' said divided rusto-conical flange being overlapped, and means for varying the overlap of said ends to regulate the engagement of the ange with the inner section.

4l. In a conveyer conduit of the character described, an outer section, an inner section telescopically arranged within the outer section, an anti-friction element operative between the sections, and means for preventing ingress of air between the sections consisting of a divided and inverted frustoconical ange secured to the outer section and having a portion bearing against the inner section, the ends of said divided ifrustoconical Vflange. being overlapped, and means for varying the overlap of said ends to regulate the engagement of the flange with the inner section.

5. ln a conveyer conduit of the character described, a support, an outer section, a flexible connection between said outer section and said support, an inner movable section telescopically arranged within the outer'h section, a circular series of anti-friction elements carried by the inner section and operatively engaged with the outer section, a loose ring oating on said anti-friction elements for preventing material being handled Jfrom finding its way between the sections, and means carried by the outer section for preventing ingress of air between said sections.

JOHN BROUGHTON BROWN. 

